Children hurt when tire swings falls in Manchester playground

By MARK HAYWARDNew Hampshire Union Leader

MANCHESTER — The director of Manchester parks said he is going to remove the popular tire swing from the Livingston Park playground, after a metal shaft supporting the swing collapsed early Sunday evening and struck several children.

.Parks Director Peter Capano said the swing will be removed entirely and an evaluation is underway involving parks officials, the city’s insurer, the manufacturer and the installer.

“We’re disturbed that this event happened,” he said...Police said they were called to the park about 5:30 p.m. Sunday for an accident at the playground, but no report was available Monday.

The playground equipment is one of the more popular attractions at Livingston. A device suspends a tire horizontally about 4 feet from the ground. The device allows the tire to swing and rotate, while several children at a time can sit on the tire...Three children were on the swing Sunday when a horizontal metal shaft that supports the tire collapsed and struck the children, two witnesses said. They asked to not be identified.

A boy of about 10 years old had an obvious bump on his head and an eye that was swollen shut, the couple said. He was taken away by ambulance...Capano said city officials have spoken to the boy’s uncle, and the boy appears to be okay and has not suffered any permanent damage.

On Monday morning, the shaft rested at the bottom of the metal arches that hold it up, and caution tape was around the entire piece of equipment. Capano said it will be removed in its entirety...mhayward@unionleader.com..